Most pleasure craft sailboats have a mast which can be lowered from the upright and vertical position to a horizontal position. With the mast in the horizontal position, the boat can be stored in a low-ceiling protective enclosure, and can be moved over land on a trailer without having the mast interfere with power lines and bridges over roadways. It is desirable for many boat owners to trailer their sailboat to land-based storage to avoid costly water-based marina storage fees.
However, most masts of medium to large size sailboats are fairly heavy, and can require three or more men to lift them into the upright and vertical position before launching the craft from the trailer to the water. For example, a 24-foot mast weighs approximately 200 pounds in the vertical position, and can reach over 30 feet in height from ground level when in the upright position. This initial weight can be difficult and dangerous for one or even two men to lift, and the righted height can interfere with overhead power lines unintentionally.
Correspondingly, to safely lower the mast on the vessel, several men may be required again. This need for several men to "put in" and "take out" the craft reduces the independence of the boat owner who may want to sail alone, and can cause considerable safety risk to all involved during the lifting and lowering operations.
Most sailboats do not have a common method for mounting deck accessories such as wenches and hoists, so mounting an "after market" mast wench to the deck of sailboats presents a particularly challenging problem.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art to provide a lifting apparatus to allow a single man of normal human strength and agility to raise and lower a sailboat mast from and to the horizontal storage position to and from the upright and vertical position.
Furthermore, there exists a need in the art for this system and method to enhance the safety of the operator of the system over the prior art method of manual lifting and lowering.
Finally, there is a need in the art for this system and method to be easily installed and removed to and from a sailboat, without need for permanent mounting modifications or fixtures to the vessel.